Innovation Partnerships Manager

Salary: £47,389 to £50,253 with progression to £56,535 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 9 August 2026

From Newcastle. For the world.

Help shape the next generation of innovation

At Newcastle University, we are redefining what it means to be a world‑class civic university. Through our Next Generation Newcastle transformation, we are making a generational commitment to shape a better future—delivering research, education and innovation that creates real-world impact locally and globally.

This is a moment of exciting change. We are strengthening our focus on partnerships, place and innovation to unlock the full value of our research and talent—working with business, government and communities to tackle the challenges that matter most.

As part of this, we have transformed our Knowledge Exchange function and created Newcastle Innovations —bringing together expertise in commercialisation, partnerships and engagement into a more integrated, ambitious and outward-facing model. We are building a dynamic innovation ecosystem that accelerates the journey from discovery to impact, connecting our strengths in health, energy, data and creative practice with real-world needs and opportunities.

If you are ambitious about innovation with purpose—and want to shape how a leading university delivers growth, impact and societal benefit—this is your opportunity.

Innovation Partnerships Manager

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated professional to play a central role in developing and delivering Newcastle University’s innovation partnerships.

As Innovation Partnerships Manager, you will lead the development, management and delivery of strategic partnerships that enhance the University’s research, education and innovation impact. You will work at the interface between academia and external organisations—connecting capabilities, opportunities and ambitions to create high‑value, long‑term collaborations.

Working closely with the Head of Innovation Partnerships and senior colleagues across Newcastle Innovations and the University, you will help shape and deliver a university‑wide approach to partnership development—supporting growth across key sectors, themes and strategic priorities.

What you will do

As part of the Innovation Partnerships team, you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of strategic partnerships aligned to the University’s priorities, including identifying, negotiating and formalising complex agreements 


• Act as the primary relationship lead for a portfolio of key partners, ensuring strong, long‑term, high‑value engagement and satisfaction 


• Build and maintain a pipeline of partnership opportunities, linking partner needs to the University’s research, education and innovation strengths


• Drive commercial negotiations and partnership agreements, ensuring financial, strategic and reputational benefit to the University


• Support the development of collaborative bids, business cases and funding proposals, working with academic and professional services colleagues


• Position the University as a partner of choice across regional, national and international networks and initiatives


• Provide a coherent “front door” for partner engagement, coordinating internal expertise and facilitating access to relevant opportunities


• Establish and support effective governance and reporting structures for partnerships, including performance tracking and risk management


• Work across the University to ensure partnership activity is well coordinated, visible and strategically aligned, including use of CRM systems and reporting tools


• Contribute to income generation and value creation through partnership development and commercial activity


• Support the development of industry‑engaged education, including placements, internships and co‑created curriculum opportunities

About you

You will bring:

• Significant experience of working at the interface between universities and external organisations 


• A strong track record in developing partnerships, negotiating agreements and managing complex stakeholder relationships


• Experience of project, programme or bid management, including commercial or contractual negotiations


• A broad understanding of research, innovation and education collaboration models, including knowledge exchange and IP considerations 


• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders


• The ability to operate effectively across a complex, fast‑paced and multidisciplinary environment 


• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a diverse and demanding workload


• A proactive, collaborative and resilient approach, with a focus on delivery and impact

A postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience is expected.

Why join us?

You will be part of a University that is:

• A trusted civic partner with global reach


• Committed to turning research into real‑world impact


• Investing in a bold, integrated approach to innovation and partnerships


• Focused on delivering economic, social and environmental benefit

Together, we are building the next generation of innovation—connecting people, ideas and opportunities to shape a better future..

For further information about this opportunity, please reach out to Karen Allenby, Head of Innovation Partnerships, at [email protected].

To apply, please upload your CV along with a ccovering letter evidencing how your skills and experiences align to the skills, knowledge and experiences criteria as outlined within the job description found here

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29400

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